Sediment collector



May 24, 1932- F. A. GRAUMAN ET AL SEDIMENT COLLECTOR Filed July 22, 1931 Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTVICFFICE T rmx A. Gmnum AND ARTHUR H. GRAMMAR, or SEATTLE, wnsnnweron SEDIMENT Application filed July 22,

device of our invention an efiective closure is provided for the bottle, and, when the bottle isinverted and permitted to stand for a suitable period, the sediment is separated by precipitation from the liquid contents, collected in the sediment collector, and trapped therein, in order that the sediment may not again be returned to the beverage. After the sediment has been trapped in the collector and the beverage contained in the inverted bottle is to be used, the bottle is righted, and the collector ma readily be detached from the neck of the bottle to permit pouring of the beverage from the bottle.

The collector is provided with means for preventing the trapped sediment therein from owingtherefrom, and of course admission, of the trapped sediment to the contents of the bottle is also prevented during the process of removal of the detachable collector from the bottle.

In carrying out our invention we provide a device of this character that is simple in construction and operation, which is comparatively inexpensive in cost of manufacture, which may be attached to the bottle mouth with facility to form an effective closure in lieu of the usual cork or stopper, and which may with equal facility be detached from the bottle when the contents of the latter are to be used. The collector is sanitary, durable, may be employed on succesive bottles, and may readily be emptied of collected sediment, and cleansed for subsequent use.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed. In the accompanying drawings we have set forth one complete example of the physical embodiment of our invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode we have thus far 50 devised for the practical application of the COLLECTOR 1931. Serialuo. 552,518.,

scope of our claims, and without departing from the principles of our invention.-

Figure 1 1s a view showing an inverted bottle with the neck ortion in section, and 1 our preferred form 0 sediment collector and closure attached thereto, the collector also being shown in section, and the trapped sediment is indicated in the bottom of the collector.

Figure 2 is a sectional detail View of the neck portion of the upright bottle with the collector attached.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the collector at line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a slightly modified form of the invention.

In order that the general arrangement and utility of parts may readily be understood we have illustrated in Figure 1 a well known type of beverage bottle B, that is filled to the level of the line L, when the bottle is inverted, it being understood that the filled and closed bottle is stored until used, in the inverted position of Figure 1.

The neck 1 of the bottle is provided with the usual exterior, annular bead or beads 2, 2, and the latter are utilized in attaching and fastening the sediment collector 3 to the bottle when the latter is held in upright position of Figures 2 and 4, and of course the bottle is held in upright position when the collector is being detached from the bottle.

The collector is fashioned from flexible and resilient material, such as rubber, and is cylindrical in shape or slightly tapered, and formed with an exterior annular collar 4 at its open end. Within the hollow collector are fashioned a series of thin fins as 5, here shown as three in number and cast integral with the body of the collector. Spaced slightly within the opening of the collector an annular, interior shoulder 6 isformed to provide a constricted seat for a ball valve 7 and this ball valve, which may be of glass, is permitted to have movement, but

is confined between the diagonally cut ends 8 of the fins 5 and the constricted seat 6.

The diameter of the ball valve is greater than the diameter of the constructed seat, but the resiliency or elasticity of the material of the collector permits the walls of the latter to'be deformed for the purpose of inserting the ball valve to its seat, 01' for withdrawing the ball valve from the collector as for the purpose of emptyin the sediment and cleaning the interior of the collector.

From the constricted seat 6, the wall of the collector flares outwardly as at 9 to form a neck in the collector, and at the end of this flared neck an annular, interior groove 10 is formed in the wall of the collector, and between the outer open end of the collector and this groove, an inner flange 11 is provided.

After the bottle has been filled, the collector is attached with the parts as indicated in Figure 2, the mouth of the collector being deformed and slipped over the mouth of the bottle, with the bead 2 of the bottle fitting in groove 10 of the collector, and the flange 11 of the collector fitting snugly against the exterior of the bottle neck, and as indicated by its position in Figure 2 the ball valve 7 rests in its seat 6, free from the bottle neck.

When the closed bottle is turned upside down, or inverted as in Figure 1, the ball valve falls to and rests upon the curved edges 8 of the fins, leaving a space around the ball for a small portion of the liquid in the bottle neck to fall into the collector. bottle stands in its inverted osition the solids in the liquid are precipltated and pass through the bottle neck, through the neck 9 of the collector, and over the surface of the glass ball to the bottom of the collector where the sediment is collected as indicated in Figure 1.

When the collector is to be removed, the bottle is righted and the ball valve falls to its position of Figure 2 closing the seat 6 to prevent emission of the sediment trapped in the collector, then, by tilting over the closed end of the collector the mouth of the latter is removed from the mouth of the bottle, and the collector, with its trapped sediment is removed. By distorting or deforming the mouth of the collector, the ball valve 7 may now be removed, the sediment emptied, and the interior of the collector may be cleansed. After cleansing the interior of the collector the ball valve'may be replaced and the collector is again ready for use.

In Figure 4 the ball valve is dispensed with and a valve stem 12, having a point 13 at one end and a rounded head 14 at the other end is employed. The head 14 is adapted to seat against the ends 8 of the fins 5, and the stem is fashioned with a tapered valve portion 15 which fits in the open end of the bottle neck to prevent admission of the collected sedi- As the paratory to being inverted, and likewise the all slips into its seat 6, or the valve portion 15 slips into the mouth of the bottle, when the bottle is righted, thereby effectively closing the respective seat-openings, and enabling the valve devices to perform their functions with reliance and surety. 1

For convenience in removing the ball from the collector, the open end of the collector may be tapped vigorously against a solid object to spread or expand the mouth of the collector thereby permitting the ball ,to fall therethrough. Y

The elasticity and resiliency of the material of the collector permit the latter to grip the bottle neck in such manner as to make a liquid-tight and gastight closure for the inverted bottle to prevent leakage from the bottle.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is p 1. A sediment collector of elastic material adapted to form a closure for an inverted bottle, comprising a cap having spaced in terior fins forming a seat, a valve in the collector adapted to rest upon said seat and permit precipitation of solids from the bottle, and means co-acting with the valve device when the bottle is righted to close-the collector against egress of the collected sediment.

2. A sediment collector of elastic material adapted to form a closure for an inverted bottle, comprising a cap, means within the cap forming an open seat, a valve within the collector adapted to rest upon said seat and permit precipitation of solids from the bottle below said valve, and means co-acting with the valve when the bottle is righted to close the collector against egress of the collected sediment.

3. A sediment collector of elastic material having a plurality of spaced fins terminating and forming a seat approximately midway of the collector, an annular, constricted seat formed in the collector between the first seat and the mouth of the collector, and a ball valve freely movable between said seats and adapted to alternately occupy said seats.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names.

FRANK A. GRAUMAN. ARTHUR H. GRAUMAN. 

